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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. scale — size or range
  3. ground — the earth
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bulb — for light
  7. tube — the underground
  8. present — a gift
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. present — the time now
  12. craft — a skill
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. ground — crushed
  15. pit — a hole
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bulb — for light
  18. present — there
  19. pit — in a race
  20. scale — in music
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. tube — a container
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com